Upcycling Crafts for Home Decor

Upcycling helps you employ your creativity to old items around the house, transforming them into tasteful and functional decor items. Through upcycling, you get to conserve the integrity and beauty of the old, even as you work toward a fresh look. Upcycling gives you endless possibilities; you can bring a classic cellar ladder into your living space or add extra storage into your bathroom with an old filling cabinet.

Hosepipes

Broken hosepipes always end up in the trash. Through upcycling, you can roll up the hose into a small 'wreath-sized' circle, tie on a fresh flower bouquet and hang it on your door as a wreath. Depending on the season or event, you can switch up the flowers or add any DIY decor from the readily available items such as old fabrics.

If you are running electric wires inside your house, cut an old horse pipe along its length and use the pieces to cover the wires. You protect the wires from outside interference, including pets, and turn the old pipe into a functional decor piece. Depending on your style, you can paint the hosepipe with a new color or coat it with a clear paint.

Alternatively, you can use your old hosepipe to store your gardening tools. Create a board on the wall, make a loop from the hosepipe wide enough to hold individual tools and repeat until you have enough storage for all your tools.

Chalk Paint

Many upcycling projects require you to work on an old piece of furniture that needs a fresh coat of paint to fix the flaws or a new color to fit into your overall theme. Chalk paint offers a cost effective and easy to use solution; you can apply the paint color of your choice directly to your furniture without preparation procedures such as sanding, sugar soaping and priming.

Chalk paint works on any surface; all you need are two coats of the paint to give your furniture a fresh look. Thereafter, you can apply a finishing coat of wax with a clean, lint free piece of cloth. If you need the piece to retain the chalky look, use a light hand on the wax.

The versatility and simplicity of chalk paint makes it a must have for any upcycling project in the home. Depending on your vision, you can combine different colors or even use it on window or doorframes to give your home a face-lift.

Shipping Pallets

Pallets offer a variety of options for the beginner looking for a simple decor solution and the seasoned decorator with the experience to manipulate the pallets into new shapes. The best part about using pallets is that you can get them free from companies that would otherwise send them to landfills. Always avoid pallets from companies that ship chemicals and other hazardous substances to avoid putting you, your loved ones or your pets at risk.

You can use pallets as they come, or break them apart to get pieces you can reconstruct to suit your needs. Experiment with different colors and finishes on the pallets to give our space a more eccentric look.

Window and Door Frames

Frames from old windows and doors offer interesting decor solutions for your space. For example, you can re-purpose an old doorframe into a full-length mirror in your closet or use an old window frame as a frame for family photos.

Old door and window frames come in interesting shapes and materials, pushing you to employ your creativity while looking to add them into your home. Once you find a frame you can use, paint it in a simple color that blends in with your wall or overall theme colors in your home, and gradually advance to bolder color choices if necessary. The frames can either blend in or serve as standalone statement pieces.

Old Fabrics

Old fabrics come in all colors, shapes, sizes and textures, giving you all the variety you need to take your upcycling to the next level. While some projects involving old fabrics may require sewing, you can complete them with basic sewing skills.

The first and easiest way to upcycle fabrics is through homemade pillows. Cut up the fabrics into small pieces, get a pillowcase, stuff it with the fabrics and then sew the edges. Alternatively, combine different pieces of fabrics to make a quilted curtain, tablecloth or blanket to use on cold evenings.

Conclusion

Upcycling allows you to get creative, reduce wastage and save money. Every item you no longer use can easily transform into a decor item you can use aesthetically or for functionality. Experiment with different materials, ideas, and involve other family members in the upcycling process; you will be surprised at the creative items you make.